Category: Attitude and Mindset

Coaches say it all the time. It appears in motivational memes on social media. On the face of it the advice makes sense but following it will not lead you to success. In fact, it will hinder you. The motivational statements say things like "Rich people read books, poor people watch television." Another popular one admonishes you to only watch educational television. The upshot of the advice is that any time spent not improving yourself is a waste of time. The problem with this is that following it leads to burnout. You cannot go full tilt for all your waking hours and not burn out. The pressure of not having down time causes many people to quit and ultimately fail. You need to take in a ballgame, watch a movie,…

We all want to think there is no one else like us. In business there is always someone else that does what were do. What we need to do is figure out how to stand out from the crowd. What sets you apart from everyone else? The key standing out is being your authentic self. The one thing that sets you apart from your competition is you. There may be many people who do what you do, but the combination of what you do, what you believe, and how you act are a combination of traits that are unique to you. Don't just showcase your business. Showcase yourself. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Be that person and stand out.

We all have things that we have to do on a regular basis. We do them over and over and risk falling into a rut. It's just as easy to fall into a comfort zone and stay there. Whether you're in a rut or staying in your comfort zone, you need to shake things up to get things done. One way to do this is create a "new" day. Pick one day a week. On that day try a new food or go somewhere you've never been. Use this day to take a class and learn something new. The idea is to expose yourself to something new each week on that day. By doing this you keep yourself from falling into a rut. It also helps keep your brain active…

When The Modern Observer Group launched a new newsletter a mistake was made. The e-mail system sent the newsletter template out while it was being set up. So a portion of our list received a half done newsletter two weeks before it was supposed to launch. We quickly e-mailed those who received it an apology and explained what had happened. During this I received an e-mail from a woman who was unsure how she got on the mailing list and asked me to contact her, providing her phone number. I called her and had a brief discussion and we figured out what event she had attended that put her on the list. She proceeded to tell me how happy she was that I had called her and how much she…

There have been a number of studies in gender diversity showing that when people to something generally considered to be normal for the opposite gender, they are found to be less likable. This has been cited as something that has to be overcome in the workplace. People need to realize that the behaviors should be acceptable. There is another aspect to this that goes undiscussed. Perhaps people shouldn't be trying so hard to be likable. In my first job as a camp counselor I decided that I didn't care if I was liked, but that it was important to me to be looked on as someone who was very good at his job. I kept the kids in line, did my job, and didn't concern myself with being liked. What…

When your network is mostly people whose backgrounds and skill sets are similar to yours, it’s unlikely to help you find new ideas or creative solutions. Diversify your network by connecting with people whose viewpoints, insights, and experiences differ from your own. When you meet someone new, talk about what you don’t have in common. Ask friends to introduce you to their contacts who have an interesting job or who work in a unique space. In particular, try to meet people who will challenge your assumptions and biases. If you’re struggling to build your network in the usual ways, create a reason to bring a diverse group together. For example, a monthly book club can give you the chance to hear a variety of perspectives, as well as to read authors you…

We all like to consider ourselves smart, but raw intelligence isn’t everything. When we get stuck on a problem, sometimes it’s because we’re overthinking it. Pay attention to when focused thinking isn’t getting you anywhere; perhaps it has turned into obsessing over the same answers or approaches. Consider whether experimenting with a new strategy or talking ideas through with others might be more likely to result in success. Take breaks to let your brain relax and get unstuck. Expand your range of skills for reaching insights and coming up with new ideas; don’t be someone who sees every problem as a nail because your only tool is a hammer. And when you do find yourself ruminating, disrupt it by doing a few minutes of an absorbing activity, such as a…

When you’re stressed out, it’s hard to decide what to eat for dinner, let alone get work done. How can you produce ideas when you’re feeling this way? First, take a breath and relax. Trying to force yourself to be creative will only lead to more frustration. Instead of thinking, “I must be creative right now,” tell yourself, “I’m going to play around with some ideas.” Then do an activity that will let your mind wander. Going for a walk or napping, for example, naturally loosens up your brain, which can lead to new insights. If you still feel stuck, give yourself more material to work with: Read about the topic you’re tackling, take a field trip to observe other people’s solutions to similar problems, or talk to experts. Above…

When business people network, they tend to look for people with complimentary jobs or people in their target markets. While this is a good short-term way to connect with people, if you want to build lasting relationships you should connect around topics of interest. If you have an interest in animal welfare, gardening, or gourmet foods for example find people who share that interest. Sharing a topic of interest gives you more to talk about than just business. It also helps you stand out. If a person knows several people in your industry, what will make you stand apart? If you have had conversations about something they care about. they will remember you. More importantly, if you are discussing something that interests you, you are more animated and passionate than…

Every book and article on success tells you that you have to get things done, get started, get moving, etc. We're going to postulate that the true key to success is to be lazy. In all fairness, we're not talking about procrastinating or spending days in bed. There is an old joke that says give a difficult job to a lazy man and he will find the easiest way to do it. That's what we are talking about. Being lazy is about finding the easiest way to accomplish tasks. This isn't limited to the tasks you need to accomplish. Your product or service should allow your customers to get their tasks done as easily as possible. Customer service should provide assistance as easily as possible. If you are not making…